What has the Campaign to Save Our Acute Services at SWAH done?

That could be a derogatory question – and one which we thankfully have never been asked – the question which we would not wish to be accused of looking for credit, but now perhaps it is best stated as a means to show all the efforts made… a perspective when we hosted our All Party Meeting 1st May 2025.

These are simply a few numbers and facts.

SOAS has been 2 ½ yrs Campaigning – since October 2022.

121 Committee meetings – and emergency meetings. Each 2.5 hours.

We have requested and then held 138 Meetings with Northern Ireland Health stakeholders – including:
32 meetings with Politicians:

• 20 meetings With MLAs.
• All party leaders, Health Minister and MP
• To Fermanagh and Omagh Council twice and to Assembly Health Committee.

31 meetings with Northern Ireland’s Health bodies.

• 6 meetings With Dept of Health
• 14 with Regulator
• Met with WHSCT Chief Executive & WHSCT’s Medical Director.

20 public meetings across Fermanagh.

We are most proud of the Community Committee having gathered the signatures of the Fermanagh Community on so many occasions. They collected each signature all over this SWAH catchment area and we then presented them formally on your behalf to the relevant bodies.

• 30,105 Signatures supporting our 5-Point plan – to WHSCT April 2023
• 28,494 Signatures supporting our Roadmap – DoH February 2025
• 19,011 Signatures supporting return of Bariatric to SWAH – DoH 2024

504 Patient Stories have been gathered.

Several of whom were brave enough to be named in media.

104 Patient and Staff Voices were put in contact with RQIA.

63 Press Releases have been written and published locally regionally and nationally.

24 Banners around Fermanagh stating that Fermanagh will NOT be forgotten!

8 Events for Public:

• Ring of Steel December 2022
• Tractor Run Summer 2023
• Diamond Enniskillen Rally November 2023
• ABBA Night Summer 2023
• Fun Quiz May 2023
• Shine-a-Light November 2024
• Forum Family Fun Day August 2023
• Blanket for SWAH launched- displayed on the Family Fun Day, has been in the Clinton Centre and then in Erneside Shopping Centre – but intended for displays in South West Acute Hospital.

41 Slideshow Presentations created and then delivered for each meeting.

Most importantly we had the vision to produce a Roadmap for SWAH, our hospital, which would restore it to full health, enable it to take a role in Northern Ireland and to be part of the North-South Border corridor health provision. We HAD the idea. We MADE this solution. Now we must continue to deliver it to those who can make it happen.

We are not elected, have no mandate but this is the right thing to do.

We will ALL need emergency surgery in our family circle. We will continue to drive this forward.

Please, we appeal to you all, play your part in making sure this happens. It is the responsibility of each person who knows the negative affect to their care in the “pathways” currently available so that perhaps you say someone else having a dreadful outcome.